Folding steps for truck bodies



Sept. 24, 1957 E. 'r. NEWELL 2,307,476

FOLDING STEPS FOR TRUCK BODIES Filed Jan. 3, 1956 mmvrok. EDWARD T. NEW L l ATTORNEY FOLDING STEPS FOR TRUCK BODIES Edward T. Newell, Portland, Oreg. Application January 3, 1956, Serial No. 556,896

1 Claim. (or. 280-166) This invention relates to folding steps and is particularly adapted to be used in connection with refuse trucks or the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a step for refuse trucks that can be folded up out of the way while not in use or easily swung into operative position for use by the collectors when dumping refuse into the truck.

Another object of the invention is to provide folding steps on trucks and which have simplicity of design, economy of construction and efliciency in operation.

The novel features that are considered characteristic of the invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claim. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures and in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a refuse truck having folding steps in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in cross-section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, parts being broken away to better illustrate the structure;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in cross-section taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawing, specifically to Fig. 1, a truck T having a body B, preferably of the refuse collecting type with refuse receiving openings on the sides thereof, is provided, in accordance with the present invention, with a step unit 1 having one or more steps and pivotally mounted by a cross-shaft 7 on a frame 9 depending from the body B adjacent the side thereof and substantially beneath the receiving opening 0. Thus, the steps of the unit 1, when in operative position as shown in Fig. 1, may be mounted by the refuse collectors to enable them to dump collected refuse directly through the opening 0 into the body B.

The folding step unit 1, in accordance with the present invention, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, comprises a pair of side plates 2 and 3 which are spaced apart but connected together by one or more steps, in the present instance two steps 4 and 5 being shown. The steps preferably are of inverted channel shape to provide strength without excessive weight and are rigidly connected with the side plates 2 and 3 to provide a rigid unitary structure 1. Preferably, the side plates 2 and 3 and the steps 4 and 5 are formed of metal and are Welded together.

The side plates 2 and 3 are somewhat elongated in the direction of the depth of steps 4 and 5 and the longitudinal edges of these plates may conveniently be contiguous, respectively, with the tread surface of the upper step 5 and the edges of the channel flanges of the lower United States Patent 0 f 2,807,476- Patented Sept. 24, 1957 2 step 4. At one of their ends the side plates 2 and 3 are substantially contiguous with the outer edge of the lower step 4 while the other of their ends extend beyond the inner edge of the upper step 5 and are preferably semicircular and provided, respectively, with a bore 6.

The bores 6 are axially aligned and form journals for the shaft 7. Preferably these bores or journals are midway between the longitudinal edges of said plates and beyond the plane of the inner edge of the upper step 5 so that the step unit 1 is heavily overbalanced about the shaft 7 by the major portions of the side plates 2 and 3 and the steps 4 and 5. A stop 15 is rigidly fixed to each of the side plates 2 and 3 and extends beyond the outer sides of said plates. These stops 15 preferably are of rectangular block form and may be secured to the side plates by welding or other suitable means.

The frame 9 comprises a pair of frame members 10, conveniently formed of angle bars, which may be secured in depending relation to the body B by bolts 13 or the like, and preferably braced to the body B by angularly and inwardly extending bars 14. The bars 10 are disposed with one of their flanges in co-planar relation and the other of their flanges in parallel relation and on the inner sides thereof, the inner free edges 16 of said latter flanges being substantially vertical. The lower ends 17 of said parallel flanges are preferably inclined inwardly and upwardly and adjacent said lower ends 17 said flanges are provided with axially aligned bores 11 forming journals for the shaft 7.

The step unit 1 is disposed between the depending bars 10 with the stops 15 rearwardly or inwardly of said bars. The bars 10 are spaced sufficiently to freely straddle the unit 1 but less than the distance between the extremities Y of the stops 15 which extend outwardly from the opposite side faces of the side plates 2 and 3. The shaft 7 is mounted in the bores 6 of the side plates 2 and 3 and the bores 11 of bars 10 and thereby pivotally supports the step unit 1 between the bars or frame members 10. The shaft 7 is centered longitudinally of the unit 1 by lock nuts 8 engaging the inner sides of the side plates 2 and 3, and of the frame 9 by lock nuts 12 on the ends of the shaft and engageable with the opposite outer sides of the parallel flanges of the bars 10.

As previously stated, the stops 15 preferably are of rectangular block form and these stops are disposed eccentrically of the journal bores 6 and angularly relative to the radius of said bores so that one of the flat sides thereof will abut the vertical edges 16 of the bars 10 to retain the unit 1 in operative position, as shown in full lines in Figs. 2 and 4, and another, adjacent flat sides of said stops will abut the angularly disposed ends 17 of the bars 10 to retain the unit 1 in inoperative posi tion, as shown in phantom lines in Fig. 2.. Due to the overbalanced relation of the step unit 1 relative to its pivotal supporting shaft 7, it will be retained in either of the operative positions extending laterally beyond the body B, for use by the refuse collectors, or the inoperative position extending inwardly under the body B regardless of any normal movement and bouncing by the truck T.

The operation of the folding step unit 1 should be obvious from the foregoing description but will be briefly reviewed. When the truck T is travelling between the collection area and the disposal station, the step unit 1 is swung inwardly of the body B about the shaft 7 until the stops 15 abut the angular ends 17 of the bars 10. In this inoperative position, as shown in phantom lines in Fig. 2, the step assembly including the supporting frame does not extend beyond the body B and due to the semicircular ends of the side plates 2 and 3, no corners or sharp points are exposed.

When the truck T arrives at the collecting area, the step unit 1 is then swung outwardly of the body B until the stops 15 abut the vertical rear edges, 1 6, of the bars 10 which retain the steps land 5 in outwardly, extend-c ingflhori'zonm position substantially beneath the refuse receiving opening Oin the" bodyB.In this" operative position, as shown in fu11 i ines in Figs. 1-3, the refuse or thareruse imp th body B spillage out s ide the brddy "Bl I fie embodimentofthe inyention has Been shown and, de 551563 is 6)) "w s that "rnjany "modifications thereofar e possibleafThs TV. th "fete, is sonata restsesare inser s agi; nece at? new s i 'a t aan a fl ng all t I hat whieh is claimed as new is:

a support and including spaced bars, a step structure pivotally' mounted "between" said bar; said bars having vertical abutment portions on their rear edges and inclined abutment portions at their lower ends, said step structure having rectangular blocks disposed so that one of their flat sides will abut one of said abutment portions to retain said step structure in one position and adjacent flat sides of said blockswill engage the other of said abutment portions to retain said step structu re in another position.""""

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 255,327 Owen Mar. 21, 1882 2,246,985 Pellegrini June 24, 1941 2,738,987 McDonald Mar. 20, 1956 

